Honey, Baby, Sweetheart
by Devilslawyer123
Summary: “Edward? I thought you were gone!” she shouted, her voice cracking on ‘gone’. She slumped into the steps and hid her face behind her hands, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. “And I thought you were dead.” His voice was soft... R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

_A little sincerity is a dangerous thing and a great deal of it is absolutely_

_Fatal_

_Oscar Wilde_

A hand reached out of the shadows and wrapped itself around her mouth.

_Ssh, _the person whispered, _don't move; don't cry out_, it warned.

She stood there, tears running down her face as she heard gun shot after another resounding in the streets.

One minute she was in the shadows, the next she was being pulled through the trees of the forest, to the river that divided the town.

His hand grasped hers angrily and she couldn't see his face, shadowed from the trees and dark sky. Even though his face was shadowed, his eyes glinted unfathomably, and the way he held his body as they ran reminded her of someone she had met two years ago, when her father had given her up to foster care.

They skidded to a halt when they reached the river bank, and she was able to turn round and glance at his face, but before she could have glanced at him, his hand was covering her face again, and no matter how much she squirmed and wriggled, his hold would not loosen from her body, and the fear of being physically hurt was gnawing at her insides, telling her to stop him… whoever he was.

She gasped as her feet were swept from under her and the hand over he face shifted lightly so she could see the sky but not her kidnappers face.

She heard water slosh and rocks grinding together, and then she heard the closeness of falling water.

Was he going to leave her in the water? Abandon her where she couldn't fight her way away?

Bella twisted her head and bit hard on one of the kidnapper's fingers, drawing blood. The kidnapper merely grunted and tightened his grip.

She opened her mouth and screamed, loud enough to scare an owl in a nearby tree and send it flying off into the night, its _hoot-hoot _slowly ebbing away as the owl disappeared into the cloak of darkness.

Finally, the sound of water stopped and she heard the thump of feet on the ground, ringing hollowly in her ears. Bella closed her eyes and wished herself to wake up, to forget everything that had been happening and to return to her former home, sink into the soft mattress of her bed and sleep.

The man shifted her lightly and lay her down on the ground. As soon as she was down, she sprung to her feet and whirled around to face the man who had taken her away. He was standing behind her, still covered, and kept safely away from the midnight darkness, but even the reassurance that he was in the dark and as far away from her as possible did not help the quivering in her voice.

"Who are you?" she enquired, her voice shaking and cracking at the end.

The man chuckled and the velvet voice replied, "Ah, I am surprised you do not remember me, Belle. Am I in your shit list then?" she remembered the voice, but could not fit it to a face. She scanned her mind for images of the old Fork she knew, and of the people she knew but it was useless.

She had promised herself that those terrible years in Forks would be cancelled from her mind, and she had not broken that promise. The only thing she remembered of Forks was the battered sign that said Forks High School.

"Who are you?" she repeated, taking a step back, her knees hitting something hard, and she would have fallen if her hand hadn't flown out and grabbed the white stone banister.

Banister… steps… porch… door. It was a house. In a forest.

Was it _the _house in the forest? The one that she had forgotten? The one she had _wanted _to forget?

It couldn't be. They had left town, hadn't they? That was why she came back.

"Same old Bella, I see." The man chuckled again, and something from his voice snapped her back to reality.

"Edward? I thought you were gone!" she shouted, her voice cracking on 'gone'. She slumped onto the steps and hid her face behind her hands, hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

"And I thought you were dead." His voice was soft now, and he stepped out of the shadows, one hand extended toward her, wanting to touch her, take away the pain, and make it all better. He wanted that badly, but could he make the first step without stumbling?

"Why did you take me here?" she sobbed, her nails digging into her scalp, preferring the physical pain to the emotional one. The physical pain was easier to handle while the emotional pain was wild and out of control.

"I want you to be safe, Bella. Those streets aren't the streets that were once a long time ago. You can't walk down them as safely as you wish you could. With every step you take, you must watch your back." Edward explained, taking another step forward and lowering his hand so it could rest lightly on the end of the banister.

"Take me home, Edward. Now." She ordered, standing up and wiping fiercely at her face.

"No, Bella. It isn't safe. I'll take you back in the morning." He answered, wrapping his strong hand around her arm and dragging her to the door. He slid the metal key into the lock and the huge door swung open with a groan.

A light flashed on in what she remembered was the living room and Esme Cullen hurled herself at her son, wrapping her small arms around him and sobbing into his shoulder.

"Oh, _Edward_! How could you _do _this to me? How could you just walk out in the dead of night when the town people are trying to kill each other? How _could _you?" she wailed.

Bella took a step back and tried to make a run for the door, but Edward shot his arm out and the grip on her arm was back, dragging her back into his view.

Edward cupped her mothers face in his strong hands and kissed each tear stained cheek twice before whispering, "Sorry, Esme, but I was in town, and Bella was in trouble so…"

Esme let go of her son and gasped as her eyes landed on the girl she had always thought of as her daughter, and had then lost thanks to a stupid mistake her thoughtless son had committed.

"Isabella?" she whispered, her arms aching to open wide and hug her, but the look of utter loathing she was giving her son made Esme think twice about her actions.

Edward stared at Bella and willed himself to speak, hoping to be able to say something when they were alone.

Esme chattered quietly to her son as they went into the living room. The great house was silent, and the wind lashed at the windows, the wooden frames creaking ominously. Esme offered them both something to eat and drink but they both denied.

Bella waited for the inevitable, waited for Edward to disappear with a click of her fingers, she watched Esme walk down the corridor and up the stairs to her room, where her devoted husband lay asleep after an exhausted day of work. Bella expected Esme to disappear in a flash of white light, but she didn't. Instead, she heard the door of their room creak open and then clacks close.

Sighing, Edward took her arm again and led her up the stairs to his room, opening the door and pushing her lightly on the back so she stumbled inside.

He ran a hand across the wall for the switch and light flashed on, temporarily blinding them both.

"Take me home, Edward. Please." She added as an afterthought.

Edward closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He slumped onto the bed, dragging Bella with him so she was lying on top of him, struggling wildly in his arm lock.

"Let me go, you bastard!" she hissed, digging her nails into his shoulders and pushing at him.

Edward chuckled and rolled over so she was pinned under him, his breath hot on her neck. His finger wasn't bleeding any more and Bella hadn't done any damage, only a scratch if he had to be honest.

He opened her leather jacket, throwing it on the floor and kissed her collarbone, feeling her shiver slightly beneath him. He proceeded to kiss her neck and run the tip of his nose along her jaw.

Bella shivered lightly and lay absolutely still under his body, waiting for him to say something, anything.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, turning her head away from him, away from those penetrating green eyes.

"I love you, Bella. All these years, I haven't lived peacefully for one day. Wherever I went, whatever I did, reminded me of you. I love you Bella, and I had been stupid not to have understood it before that stupid mistake." He whispered, finally trapping her lips with his.

"Why hadn't you said anything to me that day I asked? I hated you Edward, for what you did, and I still do. No matter how much you kiss me, I still hate you." She growled when he pulled away.

"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal" was all he whispered before kissing her again, and this time, she didn't pull away as soon as she could.

**A/N: sorry if you found this chapter not very revealing, but I promise the next one would be better! The more reviews I get the more I write, so that means quick updates!!**

**devilslawyer123**

**p.s I WILL STILL UPDATE 'ANGEL'!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: ****thank you guys for all the reviews! keep it up!**

**CHAPTER 2**

_Life is short_

_And we have not_

_Too much time for_

_Gladdening the hearts_

_Of those who_

_Are travelling the dark_

_Way with us._

_Oh, be swift to love!_

_Make haste to be kind_

_Henri Frederic Amiel_

_(1821- 1881)_

His arms wrapped tightly and gladly around her, Edward slept. His dreams were full of pain and sorrow, of what had the town come to.

As soon as Bella noticed Edward sleeping soundly, she tried to pull away from his tight grip, but the silver bracelet she had on scratched him on the arm and he was alert straight away, his jean clad legs pinning her down, his breath hot and angry on her neck,

"I thought I could trust you." He growled, shaking her hard enough to stop her struggling.

"Never trust a foster child, Cullen!" she hissed back, kicking out and landing her knee into his stomach.

Edward rolled over and jumped off the bed, shoulders hunched, and his breath rasping angrily in his throat.

He pins Bella with his frightening glare and when she shrunk back, he relaxed a bit, lying back down on the bed, his back to her.

"You can go, if you want. I don't want _filth _in my room." he says, his voice calm and soft as velvet.

The words hit Bella like a knife in the back… she turned round and opened the door, slipping out into the corridor, the floorboards creaking under her weight.

She could hear the faint deep breathing from all the rooms she passed, and then she had reached the top of the stairs, where the great staircase wound down into pitch black darkness. She didn't bother switching on the light, just in case it alerted someone of her escape, but as soon as she stepped onto the first step, someone walked up behind her, touching her hair lightly.

She whipped round and nearly fell down the stairs if Edward hadn't grabbed her by the waist and steadied her.

"I didn't mean that, back there." He whispered so softly she had to strain her ears to hear him.

"I don't care what you think of me, Edward. I stopped caring a long time ago." She answered.

"Then why are you so scared of telling me what you really want? Why are you scared of _me_?" he whispered, pulling her closer to him.

It was a relationship of love and hate. Bella loathed him but loved him as well. She wanted him to be happy; she wanted him to love her like he had promised a long time ago.

But that was the past and this was the present.

"I'm not scared of you! I'm not scared of _anything_." She hissed angrily, placing her hands on his chest and pulling herself free.

Edward grabbed one of her hands and kissed each finger lightly and gently. Electricity shot through Bella.

Before she knew what was happening, she was leaning forward and kissing Edwards neck, inhaling his musky scent.

Edward wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to let go, feeling her small slim body in his arms was bringing back all those memories of how it used to be so many years ago, so perfect.

He kissed her hair and ran his hands over her back, feeling all the knotted up muscles, he traced one finger over the barely concealed scar between her shoulder blades, wanting to know who had done it.

She was still standing on the seconds step and he pulled her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, he carried her back to the room.

They lay on the bed together, kissing and whispering to each other, the love/hate relationship throwing them out of balance. But Bella didn't care. All she wanted to do was wrap him in her arms and pretend that the past years hadn't existed, that everything was OK. But the problem about 'pretences' was that at one point, everything would come to an end and come crashing down.

"What are you thinking of?" Edward whispered, tugging away the hand covering her eyes.

"About love and hate, actually." she replied. Edward shifted so he was lying on his side and he could look down at her perfect face.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, cocking his head to one side, a ghost of a smile flitting across his lips.

"I hate you… but sometimes I love you. It's all because of that Christmas Eve that I hate you, because you _lied_…"

"I didn't lie, Bella. I would never do that to you… and you don't need to hate me. I know what I did was wrong but is all this ignoring and pretending actually worth it? I know you felt something when we kissed or when I took you away from the streets but-" Edward sighed and rested his head against her chest, listening to the wild beating of his love's heart.

"You still hurt me… you have no idea how much I needed you, that day Charlie decided that I was no good and gave up on me, that day the social services came and took me away… I've been taken to and from different houses and families, none of them very nice, so I decided to play the part of the nasty stuck-up bitch. That's what you do if you wanna survive that kind of place."

"I wish I had been there, Bella, for you. I wish I hadn't left like that, abandoned you so cruelly." he whispered, kissing her collarbone and tugging lightly at her shirt.

"You still did it though, and frankly, I don't wanna get messed up like that again. It was stupid and thoughtless and we rushed things-"

"Exactly," he interrupted, regarding her thoughtfully, "Maybe this time we could take things slower, understand what we really feel for each other." He returned to kiss her neck and shoulders, then he pulled up her shirt to reveal her perfect stomach, her navel which was pierced with a glittering emerald stone, the colour was beautiful against Bella's slightly brown skin.

Edward kissed the area around her navel his lips gentle.

"What if it'll all go wrong again? What if this was just a stupid mistake and tomorrow in school everything would start up again? I still hate you, Edward, no matter how hard you try to make me melt." He chuckled softly at the anger in her voice.

"Hate is a strong word, Bella." He answered. She stroked his hair and pulled lightly on a floppy part of his fringe.

"I know it is. Edward, our whole _relationship _was messed up… we didn't like each other and we were constantly hurting each other just for the _fun of it_. Do you really think that everything would go back to normal after that?" she asked, closing her eyes and sinking into his embrace.

"Yes, I do. I know that if I want something as strongly as I want this, then I'd get it."

"I hate this place. All the guns and midnight fights, all the drink and _changes_." She said haughtily.

"It never used to be like this, love. You know that. It all changed when those stupid Jackson kids came to town. With their superiority and grand entrance, they bought with them a whole lot of trouble. Your father would absolutely _love _all the work!" he added bitterly.

Bella remembered what Forks had been like once. Beautiful and silent and _green._ It had used to rain a lot and she had always been grumbling about the weather. Her first day had been terrible and sp had her second and then _Edward _came and made everything worse with his smarmy grins and mocking answers…

**FLASHBACK:**

**BPOV**

_I pulled my hair up into a high pony tail and applied a little more lip gloss. The girl in the mirror blinked back at me. This party totally sucked and I didn't even know why I bothered having a fight with my father to come here when it was all so… _lame.

_There was no male in the room that was particularly kissable, or of they were they had an over inflated ego._

_Such as the in-famous Edward Cullen. In- famous in my book anyway._

_Sighing, I stuffed everything in my bag and left the bathroom._

_When I opened the door, a couple who were kissing as if it was their last time together, nearly fell on me, they were so hasty in trying to get their clothes off._

"_Move!" the guy – Mike Newton – growled angrily._

"_Alright! I'm _going _already!" and I slipped out into the corridor. Everywhere I looked there were couple kissing and some of them were getting horizontal, it was sick._

_I wandered around Jess Stanley's massive house and contemplated on whether I should tell her about Mike Newton sucking face with a skank or let her find out about it by herself. _

_I chose option two so it wouldn't get me into trouble. _

_A door at the end of the corridor was slightly ajar and I slipped inside, relief washing over me when I saw that it was empty. It was obviously Jess's parents bedroom, on one wall was hanging a massive photo with a woman wearing nothing but a skimpy dress. It was Jess's mother and her eyes stared nastily at the camera._

_God, talk about over inflated egos!_

_I sank on the bed and took my mobile out, thinking about calling my father and telling him to come pick me up, but that idea I soon banished. Did I want him to smirk at me in a told-you-so way?  
No thanks. _

_Somebody opened the door and stumbled in, cursing under their breath. I turned round and scowled at the guy._

"_Piss off, Cullen." I growled, pocketing my phone._

"_Hello to you too, Swan." I hated the way he said my surname as if I _looked _like a swan._

"_What do you want?" I snapped; hand in my pocket ready to lash out if I needed to._

"_Somewhere quiet to rest, thank you very much." He looked at me, his eyes flashing, and a smirk clouding his face._

_I took a step back when he took a step forward, but I wasn't fast enough._

"_Why d'ya hate me, eh Swan?" he murmured, taking my arm and propelling me to the bed._

"_Why d'you think? Because you made my life a living hell ever since I started that damn school." I snapped, pulling away. Hurt flitted across his face and then the smirk was back in its usual spot._

"_I make _everyone's _life a living hell, babe, and you were only in my line of firing." He cupped my chin in his hands, his fingers so gentle I was shocked still._

_He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine, and then I was sinking, sinking in his embrace as he kissed me and made me feel as if I was the best damn thing that had ever happened to him…_

**BACK TO PRESENT:**

"You still made my life a living hell, though, didn't you?" Bella muttered, twisting round. The night was so long and she could still feel his touch on her skin from two years ago.

Edward wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against the back of her neck, breathing slowly.

"You think I wanted to?"

"You ignored me the next day after our 'first kiss.'" She made quotation marks in the air, annoyance making her shiver at the thought.

"I was scared of what you might've done if I came upto you that day." He defended himself.

"I still hate you, though." She muttered.

Before they both fell asleep, Bella heard Edward whisper, "Life is short, and we have not too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark with us. Oh, be swift to love! Make haste to be kind."

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	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

_Throw out the life line,_

_Throw out the life line, _

_Someone is sinking today._

_Edward Smith Ufford._

**EPOV**

I woke with a start, and noticed that I was just in time before my alarm clock would ring and wake everyone up. I looked down, maybe thinking that Bella would have escaped when I was least on my guard, but she was there, lying peacefully next to me, her chest rising and lowering with her steady breathing.

_I wish she would just listen to me! _I thought. I sat up and stretched the muscles in my back, yawning widely.

The night shift had exhausted me as usual. It was unbelievable the hours the police would make me do! Walking around streets and 'rescuing' people who were in trouble with one of the Jackson boys or with one of the Jackson boy's gang.

I stood up and glared around the room, at every piece of furniture that was there as if it was their fault that I had been appointed as Guardian.

Bella stirred on the bed and groaned, stretching her burnt honey coloured arms high above her head. She blinked and looked up at me, her face expressionless.

Why was it so hard for me to just do what she wished the most? I couldn't. I loved her and I knew one thing: now that I had her back, I wouldn't let her go for anything in the world.

"Good morning," I murmured, brushing the hair off her face.

Bella gave me the ghost of a smile.

"I'll wait for you downstairs while you get ready for school. Your stuff is in my car already, so don't worry." I wasn't going to tell her how I'd gotten her things.

"Will we be on our own? In the car?"

"Yes." I didn't want to be with anyone else after what had happened. I still damned myself for running away the first time, turning my back on the truth.

For months after, I would walk around in a zombie like state, my family thinking I was taking drugs, or doing something stupid that reduced me this way.

They were right. I had done something stupid that reduced me that way, but still they didn't know, didn't _suspect_.

She disappeared into the bathroom and I stood alone, in the middle of the room, slowly coming back to the present.

My parents had decided that night duty would help me out, and partially it had. Forks was in danger, and other twelve guardians and I would make sure that the place was clean of death… we would have to get rid of the Jackson boys, one way or another.

I sighed heavily and picked up my bag. Kneeling down to tie my shoe laces up. From under the bed, something glittered and I reached under the bed to pull it out and held it in my hand. It was a small silver heart with diamond carvings, laced through a sweet gold chain that seemed unbreakable in my hands.

The carving on the back said **I. S** Isabella Swan.

I wrapped my hand around it and stared at my white knuckles, hoping for the familiar pain to break me apart, make me a zombie once more.

But it didn't, and I remained whole.

The drive to school was silent, and I felt like I was slowly coming apart, and then Bella would see how much I hurt. Would she believe me then? Would she say 'I love you'? Would she treat me and make me feel fantastic like she used to?khpibshhsj

Before we entered the school, I parked the car in a small clearing just off the road and rested my head against the wheel, suddenly exhausted. Night shifts always left me quirky and quite snappish.

"I hate this, I want to die." I muttered under my breath. A soft laugh came from the seat beside mine and I snapped my head up to glare at Bella.

"What?" I snapped. She rolled her eyes and pinched my arm, hard enough to leave a bruise. But I wasn't going to say anything.

"Hah! You want to die, eh? Then maybe I can help you with that, I mean I wanted to die since you left me that day… you have no idea what I tried." She snapped. She was never going to let this go, was she? She was going to make me regret everything I did when I was already eating myself inside, trying to think of ways to amend my dishonest actions.

"You tried to kill yourself?" I choked out, disbelieving.

"Sure," she replied at ease with herself, flicking a loose strand of hair over her shoulder and smiling a little, "You know, the usual stuff. Overdose, walking in the middle of the road when a car was coming, messing with the wrong people… but it seems like I am very, _very _hard to kill."

"The scar on your back?" I asked, straightening up form my hunched position.

"An incident with a guy who thought we were gonna get married and I was all like, 'no way buster'. He used his best belt on me…" she trailed off, lost in thought.

I wrapped my arms around her and tried to think of something to say, something to stop the pain from coming out.

"No one knew?"

"Nope." She said, but then a sob escaped and she was wrenching free off me and running a hand through her hair, pulling herself back together.

"You always thought that leaving me was just for my own good, right? That the best way of getting rid of me was hurting me like no one would ever be able to. I loved you Edward, and look what you made of me."

"Bella, you have no idea how much I want to turn back the clock and have stayed with you, kissing you every night and telling you I loved you. Bella, I still love you, and I will continue doing so for as long as I live."

She looked at me, her eyes wet, and I thought I had finally broken through to her, finally making her see what I meant.

But then the sarky smirk was back and the closed off, almost dead look in her eyes dried up the tears.

Who was I kidding? That I had finally made her see what I _wanted _her to see? This was Bella Swan, stubborn as ever…

I had only just chipped a small part of the giant wall she had built around herself.

School went by with a blur and before I knew it, I was in the lunchroom, chatting up poor Jessica Stanley who had had a crush on me since the land before time.

Before I sat down, I scanned the room and saw that Bella wasn't anywhere to be seen. I hoped that Jasper and Alice were taken care of her. Alice had been _ecstatic _when she saw Bella this morning and had already organized a party and a shopping trip for the following week-end.

I just hoped that Bella wasn't going to do anything stupid.

_Throw out the life line, _

_Throw out the life line,_

_Because someone is drowning today._

"Who knows what this might mean?" our English teacher asked, pointing his cane at the black board. This was all so very Hollywood. Any time now – in a film – the hero would give the right answer and somehow project his love to the heroine who hadn't wanted to know the truth about him.

As I said, it was all Hollywood. If I gave the right answer, my love would not project to the girl I loved, and even if she did understand she would never forgive me.

Never.

I stretched my legs out and yawned, the movement nearly dislocating my jaw. Jasper elbowed me in the side and nodded toward the front of the class where Jessica Stanley was staring at our reflections in the window. I sniggered and raised my eyebrows at her. She blushed and looked away, fiddling with her pencil.

That movement… I looked away when it reminded me so much of Bella's first day and I instantly regretted having picked on her since the first hour when the teacher assigned her a seat next to me. I was a monster and the more I thought about it, the easier it was to admit.

_Throw out the life line,  
Throw out the life line,  
because someone is drowning today._

I knew what it mean, and still I hesitated to put my hand up and answer.

"Why won't you two just talk it over and get it over with? Your silence and puppy dog eyes are killing me." Jasper hissed, his eyes narrowing.

"I would if she would just give me a chance!" I hissed back, doodling on my notebook.

"Hah, I bet she gave you more than a chance and you blew it, so it's your fault if she won't listen to you now."

"You have no idea how much I _regret it_" I said quietly through gritted teeth.

"Whatever! You had a choice, Bella or Tanya and you chose the latter, no wonder she hates you! What happened between you two anyway? I thought she was staying in your room last night, so you must've talked about something…" he trailed off and glanced at the teacher who was glaring daggers at us while answering a pupil's question.

"We did talk, and all she said was that she hated me and if she could turn back time then she'd have never accepted my invitation to dinner that first night."

"Nice."

"Look, I'm not saying she was _mean._ I'm just saying that she made it plain and clear that even _looking _at me disgusted her… you're right, though. I had a chance and I blew it on some rich bitch from north Bitchville."

"Why is Bella back anyway?"

"Hale! Cullen! Is there anything you would like to share with the _rest of the class_?" he shouted.

"Yeah!" I shouted back, "How so fucking annoying your lessons are and I'd rather be in the Jackson's home than here!"

Detention.

That is what you get for saying the truth in Forks High.

Sighing, I handed my green slip at the lady in the detention office and walked inside, slumping into the farthest seat from the front as possible.

I knew Alice would take care of Bella, but I was scared. What if Bella tricked her and ran off somewhere else? Then it would take me forever to find her again.

That night played over in my head again…

**FLASHBACK: **

"_I don't want you with me, taking 'care' of me if __**this **__is how you'll act" Bella snapped, her face pale and purple rings under her beautiful eyes._

"_I didn't mean it that way." I tried to amend, but it was already too late, already I had lost her._

"_Please, just go." She whispered, pointing at the door. I stared at the quivering finger before wrapping it in my hand and leaning forward to kiss her. She was absolutely still, her body frozen beneath my hands. _

_She pulled away and hissed, "Why do you do that? Why are you always so nice to me when we're alone, but then you're horrible when we're not? Get out, Cullen, before I do something I might not regret." I didn't want to… how could I tell her the truth without hurting her?_

"_Can't I have some time to think? It's all just so sudden." I pleaded, trying to grab hold of her hand._

"_Whatever. Get out."_

_And this time, I left and never went back. _

**BACK TO PRESENT:**

The bell rang and I jumped out of my seat, heading straight to my locker, no stops.

Emmett and a couple of my jock friends were there, waiting for me but I scanned the hallways for a pixie looking girl and another beautiful girl who haunted my dreams….

"Edward? Oi!" Emmett growled, shaking my shoulder. I looked at him and pushed him off, ready to fight him if he dared touch me again.

"What?" I snapped.

"I _said_ why Bella is back? I thought you'd said she was gone for good!" he threw his hands in the air in exasperation and our jock 'friends' nodded quickly in agreement.

"Yeah, well that was before, OK?" I muttered, throwing my locker door open and grabbing my jacket. He wasn't the first person to ask me that, and I still hadn't found an answer. I knew she came back because she thought we were gone, but I didn't think on how to handle her hatred. She'd have an apartment here in Forks, wouldn't she? She wouldn't be living with dear old Charlie Swan…

I promised Emmett to meet him later that night for a night with the guys and went out to the car park, almost expecting to see my car gone.

I saw it parked where I had left it, and then I saw that Bella was leaning against the hood, staring into space.

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	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **thanks to everyione who reviewed!! i didn't thinkl this story would go down so well...

R&R!

**CHAPTER 4**

_Be kind-_

_Every one you meet _

_Is fighting a hard battle_

_John Watson_

They drove in silence for most of the way, Bella's shoulders tense and angry at herself. The whole school had been in shock when she came back, and why was that? Because Edward Cullen had told everyone a different story of her departure.

Some of them had thought of it as a small joke, Bella going back and looking like someone had stabbed her with a double ended knife, but no one knew the truth… no one knew why she had left in the first place because dear old Edward had decided his _reputation _was much more important than the truth! She wanted to spit at him, and claw his face, hurting him like she had never done before, but she knew that the physical pain as easier to handle whilst the _emotional _one… the emotional one could leave you gasping for your breath, it could leave you dying inside, like a deep hole with no way out.

Bella glanced at Edward as he drove, his mouth set in a frown and an occasional jerk of the shoulder as if there was an invisible bullet had been shot.

He turned to a little and stepped on the gas, spying her from the corner of his eyes. Bella looked away and shut herself in her own little world again, the emotional pain getting at her again.

"I know what this day has been like for you Bella. You can trust me." he whispered, wanting to reach out and touch her, make sure she was really there.

"No I can't." she answered truthfully… after that horrible night, she never trusted anyone again. What was the point? Every time she trusted, pain would be inflicted to her heart.

Edward didn't say anything, instead he concentrated on the winding road in front of him, careful to pick out the right ones that didn't 'belong' to the Jackson boys… many lives have been taken away when they turned into the wrong road.

"Where d'you live?" he asked when he realised that he was going no where.

"I live nowhere." She answered, her voice sincere.

"Oh? And where were you going that night I found you?" he asked, his shoulder jerking again. It wasn't a violent jerk, more like a jerk you have when you are trying to avoid pain.

"I was… looking." She answered. Edward shook his head and eased on the gas, knowing that Bella hated the speed.

"Then you can stay at my house until we have sorted something out for you." He offered. She gave a snort and looked away, knowing full well that Edward – the person she had once loved – would try and make her understand.

The road was longer returning from school than going. Edward had to take the longer route because the shortcut was being held close by the police. There had been a voluntary murder just three hours ago. Edward knew this thanks to his phone which could receive e-mails for free.

A car honked behind them and he sped up a little, but the car kept honking and Bella muttered, scared, "I think he wants you to pull over, Edward." She pulled the sleeved of her hoody around her hands and crossed her arms, ready to close off if she had to.

Edward stopped the car and set his phone on Alert, registering everything they would say to each other. It only took him to press a button and the whole Guardian Squad would be on him like bees on honey.

The car pulled over and a man two times the size of Emmett got out, a bulge in his breast pocket signalling a gun. the mans face was blank as if he didn't have a thought in the world.

"Mr. Cullen?" the man shouted from behind the closed glass, and Edward rolled down the window, reaching for his own gun under the seat.

"Yes?" he shouted back.

"We have to search you." The man answered, giving him a gold toothed smile.

_One button, just one button that's all it takes… _Edward thought.

"Do you have permission?" Edward asked, shifting slightly in his seat. Bella covered her face with her hands, ready to run if she had to. Edward glanced at her and put a reassuring hand on her leg… the one not holding the loaded gun under the seat.

"No. Howard Jackson's permission, if that's what you mean." The man advanced on the car pulling his gun out and levelling it to Edward's forehead.

"Oh, Howard Jackson?" Edward taunted, his voice mock-bitter.

"Edward, don't! he has a gun!" Bella whispered urgently, trying to keep Edward from doing something stupid. But why? If he was dead then her life would be so much better. Why did she want him alive? Did she still love him somehow? Of course not, words of a traitor.

Edward got out of the car and slid the gun into his back pocket, so swift that the man didn't suspect a thing.

"Tell me your name." Edward ordered.

"Jake Jackson. Get on your knees and bow your head." Jake Jackson snapped. There were other men in the car, all armed, their faces blank like the sky above. His phone was registering, the squad one button away…

Edward got onto his knees and bowed his head, resting his hands against his legs as if he was praying. Jake Jackson went through the car, pulling Bella out of the car who stumbled and fell against a tree. He searched under the seats, the boot, the glove compartment… he checked everywhere where some weapons might be hidden. The only place he didn't check was the floor, which contained four guns and a shot gun and. Edward wanted to laugh when Jake Jackson reported 'no weapons' back at their home base.

Bella was staring at them in shock, bracing herself for another blow, but Jake Jackson laughed and and patted her bum, making Edward want to turn round and smack him in the face. Jake Jackson tolde dward to et up and get back into the car, and drive away as fast as possible before he changed his mind. Edward didn't have to be told twice, he wanted to get Bella out of there as soon as possible. He hand't wanted her to witness it…

Work was work, so she had to witness the next part.

He got in the car and pulled Bella in, locking up all the doors and stepping on the gas pedal until they were racing at 130mph.

His thoughts were torn between telling the Guardians first or going to sort out the job by his self… then again, he couldn't do that because Bella would be there and would probably end up as a target for their sultry activities.

He couldn't let her fall in those hands.

He raced the car through the drive of his home and got out before unlocking Bella's door. She felt as if she was a prisoner, being escorted and then the doors would be open for her first.

She got out and walked slowly behind Edward's fast and urgent step, watched as he pushed the door open and stepped inside, jangling his car keys against his leg in anticipation. For what? She had no idea.

The only thought that she couldn't forget was that Edward still had the gun in his back pocket, and the way he seemed ready to cock it and fire had left her jumpy and unsettled.

"Go to my room, Bella, and _please _– _please _– don't come out of the room or the house until I get back." With a final kiss on the cheek, he swept out of the house and left the driveway.

Edward drove around the darkening streets in frenzy, looking but not finding any of the Jackson boys.

"No, the street was unidentifiable." He answered in his earpiece.

"Do you know where you were?" his 'Boss' asked.

"On the crossover between the wood path and Mall Street." He answered, feebly looking for any sign of the Jackson boys. What was he looking for, anyway? A cigarette packet? Blood on the floor or some poor dead man? Or maybe a sign saying 'the Jackson boys were here'? Yeah right.

He drove around, feeling the hope seeping away from him as his Boss chattered away in the earpiece. Edward couldn't think about anything that didn't involve cocking his gun and firing. The way Jake Jackson and _threw _out of the car Bella had just infuriated him… more.

"Edward, go home and gt some sleep. We can restart the research tomorrow…" his Boss instructed warily.

"No. I have to get to the bottom of this." He responded, his voice giving away the tiredness he was feeling.

"Whatever. Our funeral." The Boss disconnected, leaving Edward to listen to the sound of his own breathing.

He drove the streets, peering out into the torrent of rain that washed over the town. Of course the Jackson boys would never be out after a 'raid', as they so _proudly _called it. They would be hiding safe and sound in their house, drinking wine and laughing about that day's events, the people they hurt, the people they robbed.

Edward sighed and turned the car through another street, hissing under his breath… he had been looking for the boys for three hours and his eyes were starting to droop down low, and all his mind wanted to do was _sleep_… he made an illegal U-turn and drive back home, where his big comfortable bed awaited and so did Bella…

Bella was asleep in the rickety chair by the window when he opened the door to his room, and a wave of something like _longing _washed over him. He walked slowly to the chair, shaking off his jacket and dropping phone, keys, jacket, and money onto the floor as he made his way over to her.

He touched her hair and leant down, brushing his lips softly against her hair. The memory of how it was before all of this happened washed over him, and he had to grip the edge of the chair to stop himself from falling over.

Bella murmured something in her sleep and he picked her up, cradling her head in the crook of his neck, her favourite part so far. He walked quietly over to the bed and set her down before clambering on after her, and wrapping her in his strong arms. The familiar smell of her favourite shampoo in her hair - strawberry - and the exotic smell of her skin sent him back to those year when everything had been OK…

**FLASHBACK:**

"_Bella? Are you OK?" I asked, watching her shake a little in my arms. I hadn't any idea of the effect I had on her. Some girls always said that I 'dazzled' them and that's why they were always so… breathless when I was around. It was pretty uncomfortable._

"_I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?" she answered, pulling away. I let my hands linger on her waist before letting them fall back down to my sides._

"_You're shaking like a leaf." I pointed out._

"_I know." she smiled and turned away, wrapping her arms around her waist like a shield. Wind blew from the sea and made a shiver go down my spine… it was excitement. Excitement of being here with a girl I was absolutely crazy for._

"_why are you shaking, though?" I asked, inching closer to her so when she turned, my nose was only millimetres away from hers. Her eyes widened and she smiled a little, looking down at her shoes._

"_It's you, isn't it? Dazzling me like that…"_

_I wrapped a hand around her wrist, pulling her closer so she was pushed up against my chest. I wound her arm around my neck and lowered my head, kissing her lips softly._

_She responded for a few minutes, the scent of her skin and hair making me feel slightly faint, the scent grabbing at my instincts, wanting her more than ever._

_Abruptly, she pulled away and glared at me._

"_You have a girlfriend!" she exclaimed, her sweet mouth set in an angry thin line._

"_You have no idea how much I wished I hadn't." I answered softly, reaching for her again. She jumped away and stuffed both hands onto her pockets, turning her back on me._

"_Then why don't you break up with her?" her voice sounded like it was strained. As if she was trying to be indifferent when really she was hurting more than she was letting on._

"_It's complicated," I sighed, running a hand through my wind blown hair, "Every time I try, she throws up a fit, smashing things, crying, screaming, threatening me that she'd hurt herself… and even though I know that it isn't true, I can't bring myself to say those two words, 'it's over'." I shrugged and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to turn her round to face me. She was as stiff as a pole, not moving. I wound my arms around her waist and pulled her against me, kissing the back of her neck._

"_Oh, poor you!" her voice dripped with sarcasm._

"_I wish…" I didn't finish the sentence. A car came screeching down the road and I jumped away from Bella, seething silently at the familiar Porsche my girlfriend owned. _

_Tanya's shrieking laughter came from inside and I saw that Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory were inside, like those three girls from Mean Girls. I turned away from the slowing car and glanced at Bella._

_When I turned, she was gone._

**RETURN TO PRESENT: **

"Edward?" Bella murmured. He jumped an looked down, half hoping she hadn't caught him taking a trip down Memory Lane. He looked down but saw that she was sleeping, his name murmured in one of those painful dreams she had, the only dreams that remained with her.

He kissed her cheek and settled down again, resting his head against her stomach, tears threatening to spill. Her hand stroked his hair, but she was sleeping still.

Was she dreaming about him? Relishing those sweet moments they both shared in their short and painful relationship.


	5. Chapter 5

**thanks again to everyone who reviewed and added me to their favourite author/story and author/story alert!**

**i hope you enjoy this chapter!)**

**CHAPTER 5**

_The old happiness is withered and dead._

_But, see, there is greenness veiling the land..._

_the frail new beginning of a new and better life._

_Pam Brown, b. 1928_

"So, we have no idea how to trace Jake Jackson, unless we set out to find him but word will get out and then the Jackson boys would have time to escape. it's a dead end game, Edward. face it." Boss growled. Edward shook his head and blindly leafed through Jake Jackson's file, what they had been able to find out about him until now. Edward wouldn't let go. How could he? The love of his life's life had been in danger just eighteen hours earlier, and no one was willing to help some more. He knew people were getting bored with him, obsessing over a girl who didn't love him in return, but no one knew how much he wanted to put things right with her, and protection was the only thing he could guarantee right then.

"This can't be a dead end, Boss! There must be _something_…" Edward murmured, mostly to himself.

"Man, you have the evidence right in front of your damn eyes! Can't you see that there is nothing - _nothing __­- _that is leading us to them? Look, kid, if you find something, then great! But if you don't, then I really can't waste my time doing this… there are people out there dying who need real help… we'll talk about Jake Jackson later." he promised before turning away and picking up his ringing phone.

Edward had been dismissed.

He rose swiftly and left the room; he was out of the front door before the office door had time to click shut.

Bella had taken a lift with Alice that morning, his sister understanding immediately when he mentioned something about a meeting. Bella had been more than happy to go with Alice and he wondered briefly how much she _really _hated him, when at night she would cuddle up in his arms and sometimes murmur 'don't go' when he shifted.

The school parking lot was half full and he parked in his usual spot near Rosalie's red BMW

convertible and Alice's yellow Porsche.

He checked the time and saw it was 10.15am, just in time for his English lesson, where he would be sitting next to Bella. The only time of day when she couldn't walk out of the room when he walked in.

"Lovely for you to join us, Edward. Take a seat." Mr. Mason called to him when he entered the classroom. Edward gave him a nasty smile and took his seat net to Bella, subtly brushing his knee against her thigh as he sat down as fluidly as he had stood up in his bosses office.

Bella slapped his knee away but kept writing what Mr. Mason was writing on the board. Edward took out his book and quickly copied down the words, his hand an uneasy blur, until he had caught up with the rest of the class. Jessica Stanley glanced over her shoulder at him and gave him a sultry smile, which he answered with a blank look and another subtle brush of Bella's knee with the back of his hand.

"Stop it!" she hissed, grabbing his fingers and holding on tight.

"Why?" he whispered back, arching his eyebrow.

"J-Just _stop_! Just because we are in a crowded classroom, it doesn't mean I won't thump you if you don't stop!" she hissed, holding onto his fingers tighter than before. edward glared at the board, almostwishing that he hadn't come into shool and gone home instead. His whole life now revolved around saving Bella, seeing Bella and pushing papers.

When the bell rang for break, bella jumped up in her seat and disappeared down the corridor, a babble of curious girls surrounding her. Alice and Jasper joined Edward at the door before they all made their way in silence to the cafeteria. Alice was afraid of the thick tension surrounding her brother and Bella, and she tried to lift the tension using Jasper's powers.

"It's no use, Alice. Bella is so bent on what she is doing that she won't listen or feel reason. My powers an only work on a number of cases and this case _is not one of them._" Jasper had muttered when they took their seats at their usual table, a tired looking Edward staring unseeing at the cracked ceiling without much interest, his long elegant finger ripping apart his bagel. Alice never knew what the point in spending their money in canteen food was when they wouldn't eat any of it.

"I don't know, Jasper. He's just… _worrying _me. Acting the way he is. Maybe I could talk to Bella Saturday when we go shopping." Jasper suppressed a laugh. Bella had accepted the invitation to go shopping with Alice but he knew she would be fuming by the end of the day, her arms laden with bags of clothes she would wear only once.

"Yes, of course you could. Just don't mention the E word. Oh, and don't embarrass her with all those clothes I know you want her to buy. She isn't as rich as we are." Alice laughed and slapped Jasper's arm lightly. Edward had been oblivious to the whole conversation but now he turned to look at them, his eyebrows slightly raised.

"You're taking Bella shopping?" he asked, "And she accepted?" another question, this one incredulous.

"Yes… no boys aloud, Edward, so stay away from the mall or any other shopping place you know we might be in." she glared at him and flicked a crumb of her own bagel at him. He laughed and brushed himself off, grinning as she tossed her head and glanced at Jasper from under her eyelashes.

"Oh, I'll stay away, don't worry. Emmett is trying to orchestrate a wrestling match, so we will be busy all day." as soon as Edward said that, Emmett walked into the cafeteria, a fuming Rosalie following him. They three vampires could here from where they were sitting what Rosalie was hissing at him about.

"I just don't understand _why _I have to go with them! Bella is a stuck up human who can't think of anything else but to get pelvic with Edward and Alice just goes out to spend, spend, spend! Can't I stay home?"

"Rose, love, I told you why you can't! I was trying to get my brothers to have some fun, and it doesn't involving _you _getting all missy when we play some wrestling. If you don't want to go out with Alice and Bella then go out with Carlisle and Esme. Your choice." by this time, they had reached the table at a human pace, and Edward had been shocked into silence by the use of venom in Rosalie's voice.

Emmett sat down and grinned at his brothers. Jasper, being a Hale, was always honoured to be thought of as a brother to Emmett and Edward. Rosalie tossed her head and wrapped an arm around Emmett's band muscled arm.

"Fine, Emmett… you'll have hell to pay when we get back, though." she hisses lightly, a dangerous glint in her ochre eyes. Emmett only rolled his eyes and kicked Edward's shin under the table, his thoughts asking quietly, _what is the matter? _Edward replied with a subtle roll of his shoulders as if he was stretching and a quick glance at Rosalie who was staring out of the window.

_I'm sorry about that, Edward. You know what she is like. I promise she won't be that bad Saturday. You need to know how to handle them girls. _the corner of Edward's mouth flickered up into a smile and he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Jasper asked, arching a gold eyebrow.

"Boss gave me some stuff to do. I'm pushing papers tonight, so I better get started." he answered, shouldering his bag.

"Huh? Pushing papers?" Alice asked, grabbing his wrist with her small hand.

"Yeah, you know… checking, stamping, signing… I'll be working at home so I can sleep as well." Alice laughed her soft laugh and let him go.

"OK. I'll see you later then." Edward left, a small smile on his lips.

Edward was sitting in his empty English class, ticking off some boxes on one of the sheets he had been given when the door opened and someone walked in.

He twisted round and nodded at Bella as she walked in and sat across form him at the table. She wathed for a minute in silence at what Edward was doing, interest growing inside her as he signed his name at the bottom of the sheet in his neat, old fashioned writing.

Edward looked up at her and smiled a little, not really understanding why she was there.

Bella took a deep breath and started, "Edward, I know we haven't been getting along, so what I _really _need to know is: have you found me an apartment yet? Only I've been calling around but-"

"Yes, I have been looking but it is near holiday season, so many apartments have been rented out." Bella didn't understand. Who would want to go on holiday in rainy Forks? Edward was looking at her face, trying to understand what she was thinking. It had always been like this, she thinking and him trying to read her.

"What are you thinking of, Bella?" he whispered, reaching out and brushing the tip of her finger shyly with his own. This time, when he touched her he didn't feel sly.

She pulled her hand away and tuked both hands in her hoody pockets.

"Nothing. I was just wondering why all the apartments in _Forks _were being rented out. Who would want to come _here _for a vacation?" she asked, using as much venom as she could muster when she dais 'Forks'.

Edward looked perturbed at the way she had said Forks.

"If you hate it so much, then why did you come back?" he asked quietly, looking at his hands as he said it.

Bella laughed lightly and answered, "Edward, as much as you don't believe it, I don't have a family so I thought 'Forks has been my hometown since I was born, the only place I could actually fleel safe.' so I came back. I haven't seen my father yet, but it's not like I can't live without him. I'll be eighteen soon so no trouble there."

"You can always live with me, Bella. I still love you." he regretted it as soon as the words left his lips, knowing how cheesy it sounded. Bella stared at him for a minute before laughing nervously and standing up, brushing imaginary dust off of her jeans.

"Yeah well, everyone makes mistakes Edward." she gave him one last look before disappearing down the corridor to her next class.

Edward shrugged his shoulders and started to work again, until the bell signalled his next class.

"Dude, is it, like, the first time you've been turned down or summat?" Jones asked, shaking his head at Edward who was stretched over three quarters of the Jones's sofa.

"Yes… anyway, it's a long story, not something I'm comfortable in talking… especially not with _you _Gossip Guy." they both laughed and Edward felt nearly at home. Mrs. Jones came into the room with a tray full of steaming hot cookies.

"There you go, boys!" she exclaimed, offering some to Edward who politely declined.

"Thanks Ma." Jones thanked between a mouthful of chocolate chip cookies. Mrs. Jones looked fondly at her only son and bustled away into the klitchen.

"Why do you let people all you by your surname?" Edward asked, flipping channels form his side of the sofa. Jones propped his feet up onto the coffee table and sighed,

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Edward kicked him lightly on the knee and laughed.

"Oh, don't tell me you have an old embarrassing name such as 'Atticus' or 'Franklin'." Jones blushed and looked away. Edward smirked as realization dawned on him.

"Oh, my God. It is isn't it? The question now is: _what _is it?" Jones growled under his breath and stuffed another cookie into his mouth to keep himself from answering.

"you know I have my ways, being a Guardian and all…" Jones slapped him on the arm and then winced.

"Dude, you're hard muscled. Anyway, you won't find anything about me coz I changed my documents to jones."

"You're _sad_! So now you're called Jones Jones? How sad is that?" Jones ignored him and turened to the sport's channel. Edward and him watched a bit of baseball before Jones broke the silence with,

"Hey, don't your brother Jasper play baseball?"

"Yes, he does. The small problem is: he won't play with anyone else except the family." Edward shrugged his shoulders at Jones's questioning look.

"O-_kaaay_. Anyway, whatha doing tonight?"

"Pushing papers." Edward answered tiredly, glancing at his watch, "To which I will be late if I don't get going." he stood up and smiled at Mrs. Jones who had come into the room with a vase full of yellow and red flowers which she arranged nearly on the fireplace.

"Mu-um!" Jones moaned as her body covered the TV screen.

"Oh, Jones!" she exclaimed in a resigned voice. He grinned at her and then snathed another chocolate chip cookie from the half empty tray.

"Now, Jones! Make sure ot save some space for dinner, OK? Oh, Edward! Leaving already?"

"Yes, Mrs. Jones. I'm working tonight." He smiled at her and he could hear her heart pick up speed.

"Oh, Jazzie will be sorry to have missed you." Mrs. Jones amended. The fornt door slammed and a girl in a dark leather jacket and motorcycling boots stomped into the living room, her green eyes ringed with black eyeliner and kohl.

"What would I have missed? And mum, it's Jazmine!" she hissed. Edward turned to Jones and gave him a half smile.

"Oh, Jazzie! I was just saying, you would have missed Edward if you hadn't been so quick." Mrs. Jones raised an eyebrow at Edward who laughed quietly. The girls called dJazzie blushed and gave an embarrassed smile at Edward before blushing furiously at Edward and walking past him'accidentally' brushing the back of her hand against his leg. Edward turned round and was about to open the front door when he heard Jones say,

"Jazzie, don't mess with Edward. He's trying to win back Bella. Keep out of it, OK?" he heard Jazzie stamp her foot and then he was out of the door, running down the cold street to his house, the cold air whipping at his face.

When he reached the forest, sadness engulfed him. He wished so much that bella dind;t hate him and he seemed to drag his feet as he walked up the porch steps to the house.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: thx everyone for the awesome reviews... again! keep it up! also, it seems like everyone is confused on **_**what exactly **_**edward is... if you're confused. good! i'll explain everything later in the story... R&R!**

**CHAPTER 6**

_I was always looking outside myself_

_For strength and confidence_

_But it comes form within._

_It is there all the time._

_Anna Freud_

_(1895-1982)_

"Edward? Is that you?" Esme called from the living room.

"Yes, Esme. What is it?" Edward called back, adding a tiny roll of his eyes to his words. Who else would it be?

"Bella was looking for you earlier on. She said she was in your room." she called back even though the calling was not necessary. Edward thanked her and made his way swiftly up the stairs, knowing he had to get to work as soon as possible if he wanted to rest.

He opened the door to their room and walked quietly in. Bella was lying on the bed, a forearm covering her eyes.

"Bella?" he whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking her arm, "What's the matter?"

"Migraine!" she moaned, rolling over and hiding her head under her cushion. Edward chuckled softly and lay on the other side of her, wrapping his strong arms around her weak body. She involuntarily snuggled into his arms and moaned again. Edward lay one hand lightly on her forehead and she sighed against the coolness of his fingers. The room was dark now, the only trace of light was the small one coming from Edward's mobile phone charger.

"What did you need to talk to me for?" he whispered. Bella shook her head and muttered something like 'can't remember'.

Edward traced the shape of her lips with the tip of his forefinger, remembering all those times he had difficulty fighting her off. He cupped her chin with one of his hands and gently pried her arm off with the other, so Bella could see the almost predatory look in his eyes.

The tip of his nose skimmed her jaw and their lips were only inches form each other; Edward could smell Bella's sweet scent and the temptation nearly knocked him over the edge. Bella arched her back and pulled him close, pressing her lips against his.

Edward pulled her leg and hitched it round his lip as Bella wrapped her arms tightly around him, any traces of a previous migraine now gone.

Edward's hand lay possessively on the bare skin of Bella's shoulder, pulling her closer to him as their lips moved against each other.

In those few moments as they kissed, Bella hadn't known why she had waited so long. Of course, she had thought before that kissing him would on be repulsive and dishonourable to her conscience, but when Edward's arms welcomed her so warmly she couldn't struggle with her mind too long and decided to melt into his embrace. Re-experiencing the touch of his cold skin on her body, his body pressed graspingly against her hot body… she had never thought that she would feel this _protected _in the arms of a man that had once killed her inside.

Right now, though, she was only thinking of the present…

**FLASHBACK:**

_I looked at Edward expectantly. He didn't really think I could do this on my own, could he? Someone as generous and as sweet as he is? We were sitting at opposite ends of the table reigning my kitchen, and his fingers were shaking slightly. _

"_Edward, you don't have to answer __**now**__, you can think about it if it makes everything easier for you…" I trailed off and stood up, turning away from his silent form. The news weren't that shocking. He must have guessed what was going on… _

"_It's not that, Bella… it just took me by surprise, that's all…" he still didn't give me an answer, much less look at me straight in the eye. _

"_how else am I going to handle it, huh? It's not like your damn silent treatment is giving me any clues!" finally, he looked at me and his eyes were so pained that I wanted to climb into his lap and comfort me, soothe him with words that didn't actually make any sense. _

"_I didn't mean it to happen…" he was silent for a long time, and when I looked round, he was gone…_

**RETURN TO PRESENT:**

As soon as the flashback cleared from Bella's mind, she jumped away from Edward, wrapping her arms around her torso like she had done those past years when he had… abandoned her in such a cruel way.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Edward's voice was husky but Bella shook her head, inching away from the extended hand reaching towards her.

Edward growled angrily and stood up, glaring at her form the other side of the room.

"I _really _don't know what the hell is wrong with you! First you kiss me like I am the only thing on the planet whom you feel innocuous with, and next you act like I _disgust _you and that everything that has ever gone on between us was a faux pas!" he snarled.

Bella could only stare at him in shock and disbelief.

"Oh, and it's like you don't _deserve _it, is it? What have you done until now, eh? You've been throwing me back and forth for the past two years like a fricking yo-yo! And you know what? This year, my string has snapped and I am just as intent into ruining your life like you were in ruining mine!" she half shouted. The bed sheets were all twisted and tangled up from their previous make out session. Bella tugged angrily at one of the sheets and buried herself into its welcoming form.

Edward gave a cold chuckle without humour.

"You know, Bella, you have to stop hiding from the truth. My job right now is to protect you, and frankly, I have no idea why I even bother."

Bella didn't say anything and it wasn't long before she heard the door click shut behind Edward.

Edward sat in the basement, sorting through lost Guardian's files and clues that might lead to one of the Jackson lairs. He was stretched out among open cardboard boxes and scattered files, chewing the end of a pen as he concentrated on the origin of one of his confederates.

_Abramowich Deztonski… _the "ski" was Polish but the "ich" was Czechoslovakian… could he be half and half?

"He's Russian." Edward jumped when he heard the voice.

"How do you grasp these things?" Edward asked, relieved as the figure approached his lying form.

"It's all in the mind, Edward. All you have to do is think: what sounds Polish with a hint of Czechoslovakian? You have to remember that Russia, Poland and Czech were all part of the Soviet Union in the second world war." Alice sat down on one of the upturned boxes containing all the information and smiled down at Edward.

"er, slight error there, Alice. The Czechoslovakia used to be Slovenia and Czech Republic together, and in the Soviet Union Poland had absolutely _nothing _to do with that…I wish I could remember so much more than that. Even if I was changed in 1901, I still think that I missed a whole chunk of history that could be useful for the Guardians."

"You were changed under the validity of the Spanish Influenza, it's just normal that you might have missed some things out." Alice smiled encouragingly, not knowing she was messing up her own words.

"Alice, the first world war started in 1914 and ended in 1918... What _exactly _has that got to do with the Spanish Influenza that had occurred thirteen years earlier?"

Alice sighed gustily, "Oh! You know I'm no good at these things! Dates, Unions, alliances… that's what _jasper _is good at, but me? I'm little old Alice who loves shopping and can tell a Gucci bag from a Dolce&Gabbana one from _miles _away!" she huffed and crossed her arms, looking away.

Edward laughed quietly and patted Alice's knee lovingly, "And thanks to _you_, at least all of us now have a respectable dressing style… if it wasn't for you then we'd all be fashion backwards."

"You should get some rest, Edward. You haven't been feeding as often as you usually did before Bella came back… is that why you're working down here?" she asked, catching Edward's detached look.

Looking down, away from Alice's penetrating gaze, he signed another file and boxed it, while answering the question with a bored tone, "I'm just sick and tired of her playing with my head."

"Playing with your head?" Alice looked perturbed at the idea, "What - exactly - do you mean? she's suffering over you… still. I wonder what she is doing to hide this?"

"Exactly? Upstairs, we kissed, and it was just amazing I couldn't believe it. One minute she's all ardour, then suddenly she changes and _wham_! It's all snapping and hissing fights… I'm just sick of it. I told her to stop hiding from the truth and then I said I didn't know why I was even bothering _protecting _her when she was so shrewish about it." Edward kept signing and completing his work whilst talking to Alice, and for once, he didn't want to see the look on Alice's face when he finished.

It was silent in the basement except for the scratching of the pen on one of the files.

Edward dared look up and saw Alice staring at him with something like mild shock.

"You told her you had no idea why you were bothering? Why would you _do _something like that?" Edward opened his mouth to reply but Alice cut him off, her words spilling quickly for her mouth, not understandable to human ears.

"Actually, forget it, I don't want to know. Edward, this Guardian thing has changed you _so much_. You have no idea how much she is hurting."

"Alice-"

"Don't talk to me, please Edward." she regarded him for a minute before leaving, her spiky black hair shining in the dim light.

_Why is it that people always abscond when the events get too tough to handle? _he thought sourly to himself before realising that he was one of those people, the people who left when the events got too tough to handle.

The shock he felt was so non-depict that it felt like a cold knife was being pressed to his back.

But when he shifted, he realised that there really _was _a cold knife pressed to his back.


	7. Chapter 7

**a/n: guys, you're awesome!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, added me to their favourite/alert author, favourite/alert story! And thanks to anyone who would review this chapter ;)**

**So, so sorry for the late update, hope this would make it up to you )**

**CHAPTER 7**

_The Guilty and The Innocent wear the same mask…_

_Joseph Kanon, Alibi._

"Better not move, Cullen boy." a grating whisper sounded by his ear.

"How did you get in?" he spat, struggling against his iron grip. The abductor made a hissing sound close to Edward's face and the hotness of his breath startled Edward.

"We have ways, Cullen boy. I must say that getting past that pretty girl in your room was no game at all. I nice blow to her stomach and-"

Edward's eyes widened as the words hit home.

"No!" he half shouted. The abductor slammed a booted foot onto the back of Edward's head, grounding his face into the years of gathering dust. A low, harsh, cold chuckle escaped the man's lips as he hissed, his voice sounding almost drunk,

"Ooh, the Boss wants a little bit of _those _files you have right there boy… there might be information prone to hurt our… _group._ we don't want that, now, do we?"

"Bella…" Edward gasped. His hand shot out and grabbed his jacket, too fast for the man to see. He wasn't supposed to use his 'advantages' during things like these. No one knew, and no had to know _now. _

Silently, he slipped the gun out of the breast pocket and slid it toward his own stomach, breathing heavily.

The man was still blabbering on, he had no idea of what was going on.

"Of course, Jake Jackson _knows _what are in those files and if I _steal _it for him then it might gain me extra brownie point, hehe." he laughed, but the sound caught in his throat, making him choke and splutter.

The man grunted and rolled to the floor covering his head with his hands as he rolled into an old wooden bookcase. The bookcase shuddered at the impact and the wooden structure fell to the floor, shaking the unstable ground under Edward's feet.

The man stumbled to his feet and something shiny lay in his hand, the silver glinting faintly in the moonlight that reached through the small rectangular window.

Edward stood motionless in front of the man, a few feet away maybe, swaying slightly on his tired feet. The man chuckled and crouched to the floor, as if to tie his shoe lace before jumping up and slamming his foot in Edward's chest, winding him.

The gun flew out of Edward's hand and he lay on the floor gasping for breath while his hand searched blindly the floor.

The man chuckled and he stepped forward, swiftly retrieving the fallen gun.

"You see, Cullen boy, how many times I would be able to see you go _down_. If you were just good enough and let me _through_-" he kicked Edward's leg, "Then no one would get hurt and you would be spared the humiliation." Edward gasped, regaining his breath back and he got on his hands and knees, inwardly groaning.

As soon as the man saw Edward getting up, he turned on his heel and started to run for the small window. Edward growled and launched himself at the running figure, pinning him down on the dust floor, burying his head in it like the man had previously done to Edward.

The man let the gun go, and Edward retrieved it, releasing the man.

The man twisted round and pressed himself against the wall, whimpering silently.

Edward cocked and pulled the trigger, the shot resounding against the tight walls of the basement. The man howled in pain and clutched at his knee.

"Shoot me you bastard! Please, kill me!" the man cried… Edward tilted his head and examined the damage, the blood flowing free.

His animal instincts told him to attack but he held back, too scared to do anything else.

"Please." the man whimpered.

"No." Edward hissed.

"Why?" he sobbed, clutching at his useless leg.

"Because I'm no murderer." he answered. Edward walked to the wall and pushed against one of the window panels.

"Get out." Edward ordered.

"I can't."

"You have ten seconds." Edward cocked the gun, his finger ready on the trigger. The man gasped and stood up, limping to the window, each stride a gasp of pain.

_Ah, not so eager for death anymore, are you? _Edward thought cruelly.

He watched silently as the man disappeared through the window.

Why had he let him go?

--

**FLASHBACK:**

**EPOV**

_Bella walked in through the school doors. The look of pain on her face was so evident that I had to turn away. A small voice in the back of my mind was telling me that I was being stupid, that I had to sort things out with her, gain her trust._

_I turned slowly around only to be faced with what I had been fearing the most. Regret washed over me as I took in the dark purple circles under her eyes and the slight limp in her step._

_Tanya was hanging off my arm, idly popping gum and stroking my chest with one hand whilst talking to Jessica Stanley. _

_I wanted to raise my hand and wave to Bella, show her that I was on her side. When she turned round, I froze. The look of utter loathing engulfed me and slowly started breaking all of my heartstrings._

_How could I tell her? How could I tell her that I had had no part in what she had suffered?_

_Even if I had had the courage to go up to her and explain, I knew I would be wrong. Just the fact that Tanya was all over me was explanation enough to Bella._

_I watched in a kind of catatonic state as guy after guy sneered at her and muttered things like 'low life whore' and 'rich kids bitch' when she passed them on her way to class._

_Before she turned the corner, she turned her head around to listen to one of the few friends she had remaining before turning around and walking to her class._

_Not before I saw the first tear make its escape._

**RETURN TO PRESENT:**

He sat up in his bed and realised that he was not alone.

Bella lay next to him, completely still, completely white, her chest not moving with the usual rhythmic breathing.

Blanching, Edward crawled closer and lay a hand on her chest, waiting for the stutter her heart took every time he touched her.

Everything was still.

Everything was silent.

He felt a cry build up in his throat. A shadow flickered on the wall and Edward twisted round.

A man sat in the rickety chair, his head in his hands, the shoulders moving as if he was sobbing.

Edward swung his legs over the bed and stood up, shaking slightly, on his unstable feet.

The man looked up and the familiar half face grinned back.

"Missed me, Cullen boy?" it growled. The half of the face that wasn't a mask of iron grinned at him nastily whilst the half of the face which was encased in an iron mask, the eye flickered blue and red. Edward groaned and stumbled back, falling onto the bed and watched slowly as Howard Jackson rose to his feet, the black cloak falling off his shoulders.

"You're still here." Edward whispered, terrified. Never in his life did he think that he could see Howard Jackson alive.

"Yes, boy. You seem…_disappointed_." Howard Jackson gave a low, harsh chuckled and then abruptly stopped, his head tilted to one side, examining him.

And then he lunged.

The metal hand reached for Edward's throat and before he could do anything, he felt a familiar white hot searing pain and then emptiness, where his throat had once been…

**FLASHBACK:**

"_I can't do this, Boss. I'm sorry." I took a step back from the desk where my badge lay._

"_Whaddya mean, Edward? You're our best man! Don't give up on us!"_

_The pain I could feel, searing through my body…. Hot, hot…. Too hot._

"_I'm sorry." I gasped, taking another step back._

_Bella, Bella…. Where's Bella? Protection. Need to protect her._

"_Edward are you OK?" Boss asked, rising slowly to his feet._

"_I'm fine." I gasp._

_And then, everything went black._

**RETURN TO PRESENT:**

Edward's scream was muffled as he tried to twist round. He couldn't get out.

Why couldn't he get out?

He clawed desperately at whatever it was that was holding him, kicking and struggling.

Warm hands came to lie on his face and he sighed.

Voices echoed around his head.

"It's OK, Edward. Wake up, wake up!" someone whispered, touching his face again. He sighed. No one knew how that felt.

The voice kept echoing and reluctantly, he opened his eyes.

Bella stared down at him, her hands holding his face. The shock of having her touch him willingly made his eyes widen. There were other voices in the basement but Edward couldn't see them.

He had eyes only for Bella.

"Are you OK? Are you hurt? Did they touch you?" he gasped, sitting up quickly, trying to see if she was damaged.

Bella gave a half smile and dropped her hands.

"I'm fine." she said softly, her voice like honey to his ears.

Someone snorted.

"God, _look _at you Edward! You've been unconscious for the past four hours and you worry about _her_," Rosalie jerked her blonde head in Bella's direction and spat the word 'her' as if she was anything but.

Jasper and Carlisle came into view, both holding damp towels.

"Carlisle? Howard Jackson is…."

"Ssh, it's alright, we know. It was just a dream." Carlisle soothed, placing one of the damp towels on Edward's forehead. Edward's hand sought Bella's and she grabbed it, holding it tightly in both hers.

But… it was a dream.

That would come true.

Bella was in danger.

"Carlisle, you have to listen to me. It wasn't just a dream-"

"Nightmare." Alice corrected. Her large golden eyes were full of guilt and Edward didn't understand why.

"Yes, a nightmare, but-"

"Edward, please, rest. We shall talk about it when you have regained your lost energy." silently agreeing, his family left.

Edward lay on his bed, slightly shocked. Never had his family snubbed him in that manner. Sure, he'd fainted but Bella was in danger! He couldn't wait.

His eyes flickered to the phone.

"Don't even _dare_ , Edward!" Bella hissed, stroking his face again. Her warm touch sent him into a world of utter bliss.

Edward reached out and touched Bella's hand, the one stroking his face.

"I'm sorry, my love. I shouldn't have been so cruel to you earlier." he whispered, lifting her hand and kissing the palm.

"No, Edward. I had been foolish. Let's just forget about it, alright? I want you to rest." she stood up and slowly extricated her hand. She didn't want to cause him any pain, but she didn't want to lead him on, either.

As night turned into a rainy dawn, Bella sat at the window, her past flickering before her eyes.

Would she be able to do it?

Will she ever forgive Edward and start a new life? Or will she use this against him, torture him until he could take no more?

A small groan made her look at the still angel sleeping on the bed. The man with so many problems, nightmares and dangers. Wasn't this what she had wanted? The thrill of knowing what he was, without caring?

He shifted on the bed, and sighed. One word he uttered, followed by the three she thought he would never say with sincerity again.

"Bella, I love you."

Sincerity dripped form every letter.

**R&R!!**

**i promise i will make it more interesting in the next chapters... that is, if you find it boring...)**


	8. Chapter 8

AUTHORS NOTE:

Hello my faithful readers…

So, I have a chapter written up for Honey Baby sweetheart but stupid me snapped my USB disk in half and stupid me (again) didn't think about making a copy. I know pretty well what happens in the chapter and I will re-write it a.s.a.p.

Bear with me! I am very stressed thank to a) waiting for my exam results b) waiting for my report and c) trying to get all the subjects I signed up for next year.

Hopefully, after all of this is done, I will update faster! )

Thank you for reading my story so far,

Devilslawyer123 xxx


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 8**

**BPOV**

It was stupid of me to think I could ever get back with Edward.

The next day, Edward insisted on going to school, even though his eyes were bright as if he was feverish. I went to school with him but he seemed to totally avoided the subject of me actually being there when he was in need.

Unlike he was toward me.

The day I told him I was pregnant, he was literally repulsed. Of course, he didn't let on. Him being a _gentleman _and all.

It's not like I expected him to help me! Lord no, but a little comfort would have been nice.

Instead, what he did was this: he humiliated me, mocked me, hurt me until I could do nothing more than run away and hide.

Possibly for the rest of my life, but my dreams never come true.

As soon as my foster parents found out, the kicked me out and I found myself living rough on the streets. Stealing money from purses, sneaking into a supermarket and stealing some food… the general stuff.

One night, I was running away from a couple of cops - I was pretty fast. It was sonly my first month of pregnancy and I was hoping I'd lose the baby. I didn't _want _it - when I smacked into someone and nearly fell into the gutter on the side of the road.

The man reached out and steadied me, "Way to go, hun. You all right?" I looked behind me and tried to untangle myself from him but he held me tight.

"Cops after you?"

I nodded silently, clutching my bag of twenties and tens in my hands. The man pushed me into a door way and motioned me to be quiet.

Running steps approached us.

"Can I help you, sirs?" his voice was deep and - even though I guess he didn't mean it to be - menacing.

"Yes, we are looking for a girl. Chocolate brown eyes, slim figure -" really? "And quite fast on her legs. She was carrying a bag full of stolen money and cigarettes. Have you seen her?" the cops sounded out of breath.

"Yes," I closed my eyes and sagged against the door, waiting for the cops to reach round and grab me, "She went that way." I didn't see which way he was pointing but I knew it was away from me for the two cops thanked him and went running off into the opposite direction.

The man reached round, grabbed me and started running off into the opposite direction from the cops.

He slid into a sleek red sports car, leaned over and opened the passenger door for me.

"Get in." he ordered.

I did.

The man was called Howard Jackson and he was a great leader of prostitution, gambling and drug organizations. Nothing near as bad as the Mafia (**A/N: I don't diss my own country )) **but he was becoming more powerful by the minute.

He gave me a grand room, all plush king sized bed and expensive paintings hanging from the walls. Everything was going fine until Howard found me throwing up in the bathroom at three o'clock in the morning one day.

"You're pregnant." he stated, curious.

I nodded, groaned and threw up again.

"Well, we can't have that I'll take you to the clinic in the morning." strangely enough, I felt a weird sense of relief when he made it obvious that he didn't want a baby in the house.

I was fine by it.

The next morning I was taken to the clinic and I had an abortion.

From that day on, I worked for Howard Jackson almost consistently. In the day, I was sent around as a messenger and by night I was a… I think you get the picture.

Everything was going fine until The Guardians set Howard Jackson's house on fire and I was sent away with other girls from the Organization.

Each of us got a bag full of money - up to 20 thousand dollars - and we were sent to spy on members of The Guardian Organization (What Howard called TGO) and funnily enough, mine was the Cullen's household.

I didn't feel guilty about stringing Edward along, because I was in love with Howard and he was with me. I found it wasn't so difficult to love someone whose right side of the face was a steel mask and so was his right hand. Strangely, he was sweet and gentle.

He did beat me up sometimes, but that was maybe because I disrespected him or some other important matter I did not attend to.

So you seem lying to Edward was all to easy.

If I didn't lie, I would die. And I didn't want to fall for the lying, scheming rat Edward was. Even though he could be a monster when he was angry and human when he wasn't.

I didn't know, though, that Howard had another plan for me.

Let me tell you this, it involved death… a death that could not be taken care of.

**A/N: I know, VERY short. But as I said in my Authors Note (If you read it) I broke my memory stick so I lost this chapter and I had to re-write it.**

**This is a shorter version of the other one. Next chapter will be longer )**

**R&R! devilslawyer123**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for all the reviews! Here's another chapter to satisfy your… thirst lol XD**

**CHAPTER 9**

**EPOV**

I _knew _what she was. Of course I did. She was a prostitute, a liar, a spy for _my worst enemy_. I should have hated her, right? But it was impossible. The more I looked at her, felt her change of humour around me, I felt more and more protective of her… even though what happened was my fault. If I hadn't shunned her, humiliated her that way all those years ago, then maybe we would be living happily ever after.

I chuckled darkly to myself.

Bella glanced at me, narrowing her eyes, her hands clenched so tight on her bag that her knuckles had turned white.

I wasn't going to let her go shopping with Alice Saturday. She was coming with me, staying with me and letting _me _explain… making things right.

I wanted her so badly, too badly, but not in a way that might sound dodgy or just nasty… I wanted to lover her so badly, and even worse, I wanted her to love me back.

She knew, of course, that I wasn't human. I was something in between humanity and something more… in human.

She knew that the more angry I got, the more the monster in me got out, _lashed _out. She also knew the happier I was, the calmer I was, I would be more human, someone more loveable.

Bella shifted in her seat and I slowed down, turned the car around and drove through the trees, to our clearing.

"Where are we _going_!?" Bella shrieked, making a grab for the door handle. I hit a button and the locks bolted.

"I need to explain, so we're gonna go talk. Please, just listen to me, OK?" it was obvious I was pleading. Still, I knew she'd do something about it. It was Friday. Tomorrow she'd be going shopping… Alice would make sure she was nowhere near me.

"What? I don't want you to explain, you jackass! Now take me to school!" she yelled, twisting round and punching me in the arm. I fought hard to remain calm.

I didn't want to be a monster around her.

I parked the car and twisted round, fixing her with a cold look. She immediately backed down.

I took a deep breath and started to talk, "That day you told me you were pregnant, I reacted badly, I know. It was stupid of me of treating you like that… humiliating you.

"It was stupid and cruel, I know. You have every right to be mad at me… and you have no idea how much I wish I was there when you needed me… and how much I wanted that kid. I wanted us to be a real family but I was too blind to realise who I had near me and in consequence I lost you and everything we could have had together.

"After you left and I never heard from you until now, I dumped Tanya. She wasn't worth the trouble of running after. We broke up and I left home for a couple of months, doing small jobs here and there, you know?

"I was in the city when I passed a street and I … I saw you there, standing by the roadside, obviously talking money with a guy in a hood. I would have passed on if I didn't see his hand reach out and touch you on the leg, then you got in the car and drove off…"

I closed my eyes and tried to stop chocking on my own bile.

"That night, I tracked down the guy and killed him. Three bullets in his head and I was gone."

Bella gasped and tried the door again. I reached out and grabbed her arms, pulling her toward me, hugging her closely.

"I didn't want to, trust me. Jealousy drove me to kill that man and all the other's that you went with. I kept an eye on you, Bella. I lied when I told you I had no idea where you had been for the past years.

"I was shocked and mad when I found out you were that pigs lover. Howard Jackson. My first though was 'how could she?' and then I figured you didn't know who he was, what he did. I thought that maybe you were trying to forget-"

"Not everything revolves around, Edward!" she snapped, although her voice was muffled against my shirt. Strangely enough she didn't seem to want to pull away from me.

"I _know _that, Bella. The scary thing was, I was still hoping you had feelings for me. And then you appeared in the streets when we were shooting down those mothafuckas… I knew straight away you _knew _who they were after and I was hurt that you'd want to help them kill us.

"I didn't let on, though. I pretended that it wasn't happening and slowly I tried to come to terms with what you were telling me.

"Every time I saw your face inching up towards Jackson's, waiting for your _kiss_, I became more of the monster and I killed again, again and again."

I let my arms fall away from her, and looked out of the window at the trees.

"I wanted to hurt you, Bella, I really did, but I wasn't stupid. I knew that if I killed you, or hurt you, I would kill myself. I would never me able to live my life knowing that I had killed the girl I had loved the most.

"All I am asking now, is to be forgiven. I know this is too much to ask but I… want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to hold you close when you're scared, dry your tears when you're sad and laugh with you when you're happy. I don't want to be in the wings, waiting for the right time to wipe away that asshole from the face of the earth."  
_long shot, buddy, _I thought to myself.

Still, I went for it.

I pushed Bella away form me but cupped my hand behind her neck and whispered, "I want you to marry me, Bella Swan"

The only sound I got was a shot crashing through our windshield… and then everything went black.

**R&R!!**


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 10**

Edward instantly threw himself over Bella, trying to shield her from the glass bullets raining on them. He forgot to turn into his 'animal' form which consisted of his skin becoming as hard as granite so both of them would not be hurt.

He forgot so the glass bullets embedded in his skin and he let out a strangled cry. Bella wrapped her arms around the man she loved and pulled his head onto her shoulder, trying to see where the glass had cut.

"Ssh, it's going to be alright." she whispered comfortingly to him, but it was too late. He was already unconscious.

A cruel cold laugh came from somewhere in the woods. Bella stiffened and tried to see, but her human eyes could only see the shadows falling off the trees and disappearing further back into the woods.

"Ah, Bella, Bella, Bella. Ever the soft one, Bella. When I assigned you a target, I did not expect you to fall in love with the prize." again, he laughed.

Bella tried the handle, but as she touched, the door swung open and she tumbled outside, supported only by a force invisible to her or other human eyes.

If someone walked into the woods, they would see a girl leaning precariously on one side, her face a mask of fear.

"Bella, Bella, Bella. I thought _I _was your friend, your lover, your family. Or at least, that's what you told me the first night of the second month we were together." Howard Jackson's' grip tightened around Bella's shoulders and she whimpered as the metal fingers dug into her skin, drawing blood.

She glanced at Edward who was lying on the two seats, bleeding from the neck, arm and chest.

The blood. It was too much blood.

Bella groaned and tried to reach out and touch Edward, see if he was alive.

Howard yanked her back and became visible to the human eyes, his face - the only half of his face that wasn't made out of metal - was red with rage.

"Bitch, how about you come to my house and make love to me the way you _used _to?! Or is it too late for your prostitution abilities? I bet you gave that scumbag EDWARD some fun luvin', didn't you? Mmm? Didn't you?!" Howard shook her hard by the shoulders and then let go of her.

Bella fell to the floor and braced herself for the beating that was sure to come, instead what she heard was Howard's satisfied laugh before he grabbed her and slammed her against the Volvo.

He leaned in towards her and made to kiss her cheek, instead he bit her, drawing blood.

Bella screamed, and Howard laughed. Pulling away, he ran for the trees and was instantly covered from the shadows.

She reached up and touched her cheek. They came away sticky with blood.

Crying, she crawled into the car and touched Edward's face. His skin was cold and clammy and his breathing was so slow, she knew it would be a miracle if he made it and she started crying harder than ever, cradling his face in her hands.

Slowly the words he had been saying to her before Howard Jackson killed Edward came back to her: _I want you to be my wife, Bella_.

"I do, Edward. I do." she whispered, leaning down and brushing her lips against his own, hoping that it would work out like in the Disney films where the princess would wake up with her true loves kiss.

Except this wasn't a prince.

"Edward? Can you hear me? Edward?" Bella whispered, shaking his shoulders, trying to make him hear her.

"Edward, please just answer me. I love you, Edward. I love you so much and I was a bitch, I was a horrible disgusting bitch. I love you." she leaned down and kissed his forehead, now damp with her tears.

The sound of branches breaking under feet approached where Bella kneeled. Emmet Cullen and Jones Jones appeared.

"Bella? What's going on?! Is Edward…?" Emmett asked, kneeling beside the car

"No, he isn't dead. He's just hurt and-" he voice broke and she started crying. Jones wrapped his arms around her and lifted her.

"I'm taking her away from here. The bastard Jackson might come back. Can you take care of Edward?" Emmett nodded and Jones disappeared with a crying Bella into the woods.

_Edward had heard every word Bella had uttered and he wanted so much to reach out and touch her, tell her everything was going to be ok… the pain though was like fire. Worst even when he had first changed. _

_Now, he felt cold hands touching his body, turning him over, lifting him…_

"_Come on, Eddy boy." Emmett whispered…_

_Gripping g the seat, Edward growled._

"_It __**hurts**__." he complained. Emmett laughed in relief and hugged his brother…_

_Maybe not everything had been lost._

**A/N: maybe not my best chapter XD I appreciate reviews anyhow!! **

**Devilslawyer123**


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